Peaks of Otter

    "The WiFi is limited, but you'll find better connection!" is the motto of the Peaks of Otter Lodge in Jefferson National Forest. It is a cozy lodge, cradled by the three Peaks of Otter: Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill. A quick trail around the adjacent Abbott Lake leads through verdant Virginia woodlands teeming with life. In late summer, the days are gold and soft. Butterflies flutter through flower filled gardens and deer wander beneath apple trees heavy with an overabundance of fruit. When the last sunset rays creep off of the mountains, the stars peep through a dark sky. They are little marred by light pollution, always reminding travelers that while the Peaks of Otter may seem geographically close the bustling cities of the East Coast, these mountains feel so very far away.

Polly Wood’s Ordinary, a historic log cabin which had once been a bread and breakfast for passing travelers. From the 1830s to the 1850s, Widow Polly Wood had opened her home to passing travelers as a place for them to get the “ordinary” things needed for life during their trips. Her Ordinary is credited as the first public place of accommodation in the Peaks of Otter area.